Peruvian President Rejects Accusations of Influence Peddling

During a hearing with the Attorney General Patricia Benavides on Thursday, Peru's President Pedro Castillo stated emphatically that he is not part of "any criminal network" nor has he committed any act of corruption.

RELATED:

Peru: the Ministers Council President Anibal Torres Resigns

"I am going to prove my innocence. I have not robbed or killed anyone," he said upon leaving an interrogation related to an investigation against him for the alleged crime of influence peddling during the process of military and police promotions in 2021.

Castillo also rejected the behavior of the mainstream private media that mediatically fabricate "judicial cases" based on the revelations of alleged witnesses who intend to make the Peruvian people believe that their president has stolen from them.

The leftist leader said that he will respond to summons from the Prosecutor's Office as many times as necessary, given that this was the second time that he appeared in Benavides' office. 

In the case whose hearing took place today, Castillo appears as a suspect of having irregularly promoted two Army officers, three Air Force officers, and two National Police officers.

This would have happened with the participation of former Defense Minister Walter Ayala and former Presidential Secretary Bruno Pacheco.

After having been a fugitive for several months, Pacheco voluntarily surrendered to justice in July and offered himself as a collaborator with the Prosecutor's Office in the investigations against the Peruvian president.

Since Castillo assumed the presidency on July 28, 2021, he has been the subject of an intense political, legal and media campaign against him. The Peruvian right-wing accuses him of irregularities in the adjudication of the construction of the Tarata bridge and the purchase of biodiesel.

The leftist leader is also accused of obstructing the search and capture of his nephew Fray Vasquez and former minister Juan Silva, who are both implicated in other corruption cases.